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Tag Archives: the Gruffalo

November 30, 2017-Well, it took me long enough! After visiting the London Book Fair, the largest book fair in the world, in March of this year, I’ve finally decided to share a few of my notes. The presenters were phenomenal, and I learned so much. I’m happy to say that at Pandamonium Publishing House, we are constantly trying to implement these ideas in our works. Here’s just a taste of a seminar I attended titled, Children’s Picture Books, Today and Tomorrow which was presented by Christine Baker…she’s the person who introduced Harry Potter to France!

The changes currently are in regards to children’s books polarization in how to sell to people in the market. Books about food (donut on the front or about a shopping trolley sell insane amounts of books in supermarkets)

There is a large spectrum of illustrations, and a slightly alternative style is forthcoming

DIVERSITY IS HUGE. Be willing to take risks and be experimental, this will open a lot of doors. It’s good to see things from other countries because that itself lends to diversity. The Gruffalo is a great example of this.

Rhyming books can be hard to translate, and books for kids don’t always need to rhyme, but rhyming is fun if you do it right!

Non-Fiction Narrative is up and coming in this market

Unusual measurements-BIG HUGE books are popular

Push the boundaries of art

The scale is almost furniture size for up and coming picture books. A couple of kids gathered around a huge book as they read it in front of the fireplace on the floor. ­­­

Digital content-This is not so important to have books in an app because there isn’t really a demand for it.

Non-fiction books can have illustrations rather than photographs. Eg. Great White Shark

Screens and tablets can never replace books

Physical touching of a book is best, kids with their parents turning the pages, sitting on laps

Apps are only good if what you’re doing is interactive. It must be intelligent because apps are difficult to sell.

Heavily illustrated early reader novels (5-8 years) are here to stay!

Kids always read up!

Cross over books are books between picture books and middle-grade novels

Tons of writing is told in the imagery

Be untraditional, non-traditional, odd, with a different style. Don’t look like everything else in the market! Stand out!

Define and describe new categories illustratively

Your book is a work of art, be unique and interesting.

It’s all about fantastic stories, adventure, characters kids care about that they want to share with their parents, intriguing covers make you want to know what the book is about.

The US is the biggest market for books right now, but the UK is the biggest market for picture books.